Executive Director of the NGO “Ecological Network of Ukraine” Addresses the Prime Minister on the Issue of Civil Society Support

On October 4, during a lecture by Prime Minister of Ukraine Yuliia Svyrydenko at the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE), the Director of the Non-Governmental Organization “Ecological Network of Ukraine” raised an important question regarding the future of NGO funding in Ukraine.

In his question, he recalled that in February 2025, the United States announced a course toward winding down the USAID and PEPFAR programs, as well as ending contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. These programs have long been among the key donors for Ukrainian civil society organizations.

This issue concerns not only Ukraine but the entire world, posing a major challenge for the civil society sector.

“Is the Government of Ukraine considering support for the third sector?” — the NGO Executive Director Andrii Bogoslavets asked the Prime-Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko.

The Prime Minister spoke about the government’s experience in redirecting government projects to other donors and stated that the current budget is focused on defense and social payments.

A decrease in international funding may create significant challenges for Ukrainian NGOs implementing social, environmental, and humanitarian projects.